AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s son, Prince Azenathi Dalindyebo, said ‘I do’ to his longtime sweetheart, Ongezwa Zwedala, during their traditional wedding held at Bumbane Great Place near Mthatha yesterday Picture: LULAMILE FENI

AbaThembu Prince marries his amaQwathi Princess

Bumbane Great Place in Mthatha was on Friday, 18 November 2016 filled with ululation, dance and traditional music as AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s son, Prince Azenathi Dalindyebo, married long-time sweetheart Ongezwa Zwedala.

Azenathi’s mother Queen Nocollege Dalindyebo, who said she was the happiest woman alive, watched on as her son said: “I do”.

AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s son, Prince Azenathi Dalindyebo, said ‘I do’ to his longtime sweetheart, Ongezwa Zwedala, during their traditional wedding held at Bumbane Great Place near Mthatha yesterday Picture: LULAMILE FENI

Azenathi is the only child of the king and Nocollege.

Both Azenathi and his mother said while they were happy with the ceremony, it was a pity the king was not present to witness his eldest son’s wedding.

“I know that by heart and soul he is here with us. I am happy though that he gave the go-ahead for this wedding and has advised my mother on how to handle it,” Azenathi said.

Nocollege said that while she felt her husband’s absence: “I am happy that he was part of it by advising how best we can handle [the wedding]”.

She said Dalindyebo had advised her to consult with one of the AmaDlomo clan’s senior traditional leaders, family relative, Chief Dumisani Zanenqaba Mgudlwa, and Contralesa provincial chairman, Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana.

Azenathi, 24, and Ongezwa, 19, are still university students. She was yesterday given her new name, Usikhumbulile, which means “God has remembered us”.

The AmaDlomo royal family is presently divided over who should be appointed acting king, while King Buyelekhaya completes a jail term. Azenathi was on October 30 declared acting king by his faction, while his uncle Prince Mankunku Mthandeni Dalindyebo was also declared acting king by his faction on October 21. Supporters of Azenathi’s stepmother, Queen Nokwanda Dalindyebo, believe she should act in the position.

Azenathi is due to appear in the Grahamstown High Court on Tuesday to oppose an urgent application brought by his uncle, Mankunku, to interdict next Friday’s coronation of Azenathi as acting king of the AbaThembu.

He is also expected to be at the Mthatha High Court to finalise his urgent application to force his stepmother to open Bumbane Great Place so that he can access it. He was last week granted an interim order against Nokwanda.

More than R250000 was paid for lobola in cash and livestock by the AbaThembu nation for the AmaQwathi princess.

The wedding started with the slaughtering of an ox of impothulu to unite the two families’ ancestors. The ritual is known as inkomo yempothulo. A goat was also slaughtered (ukutyiswa amasi) before Azenathi’s wife walked to the family kraal for the ritual known as ukubanga or ukuhlaba umkhonto which saw her plunge a family spear into the ground at the gate declaring this was now her homestead. The couple were later married by senior leaders of the Assemblies of God Church. Chief Zwelodumo Mtirara said at the ceremony, the will of God had prevailed. Both Mtirara and Mgudlwa said they would attend the Grahamstown High Court case.

“We are now looking at November 25 for the coronation of Azenathi as an acting king. Also on the day we will launch a campaign to free Zwelibanzi [Dalindyebo],” said Mtirara.